What??? A Finish???

Well I don't like to spoil you with a finish too often but I have one today.

Now this is the kind of quilt that people knock out on a Saturday afternoon and it's just the teensiest bit shameful that women have conceived and given birth in the time I took to complete it but my Lark quilt is done.

In the end I took quilting inspiration from Hadley's Across the Seas quilt. Funny to think that we were just finishing those up this time last year...

Anyway I digress.  The quilting is circular ripples emanating from one corner. My idea was to have soft undulating quilting in contrast to the angular patterned fabric squares.  I seem to like circles at the moment.  I read somewhere that if you have circles in your home decor, they are de-stressing.

I drew around a plate in one corner and echo quilted until I reached the opposite corner. Quilting wasn't without its incidents.  When I got to the centre and the quilt became more difficult to manoeuvre through the throat of my machine, I thought I would turn the quilt around and start from the opposite corner and have the ripples meeting and crossing over in the middle.  I can feel Trudi wincing.

 The huge risk is obviously that there would be some bunching....and yep, I committed quilting suicide and that's exactly what happened.  So a day of unpicking later, I was able to finish the quilting and bind it in a couple of the Amy Butler FQs which Helen sent me earlier this year.

Linking up with Sew Modern Monday. Click on the button below and you will be magically teleported to lovely and inspiring finishes.

Weekend Whim

A huge thank you for all the brilliant suggestions as to how I should quilt my Lark quilt, which I got all basted up on Friday.  I particularly like any suggestions for 'organic' quilting as my quilting is quite naturally wonky organic.

We had surprise visitors of the family variety over the weekend and so I still haven't gottten to the crucial quilting decision yet. I make no secret of the fact that I really don't enjoy the quilting bit.  I'm a patchwork girl and love the piecing process...and I guess that's why I have so many unfinished projects!

With it still ridiculously hot here, we went up in to the foothills of the Atlas mountains yesterday for lunch and some relief from the heat.

The simple cafes make the most delicious tagines and in the summer the tables are placed in the glacial stream so that you can kick your sandals off and get cool.

Here's my handsome boy leaving a sulk on some steps down to the cafe. He is so difficult to photograph now as 'we' have entered the silly photo face season. I'm reliably informed that this phase lasts quite a long time.

And here are some jolly musicians crossing the wibbly wobbly foot bridge.

Hope you had a great weekend!

WIP Wednesday

When does a work in progress become a UFO I frequently ask myself as I stare at the growing pile of quilt tops on the spare bed (or granny's bed as it is affectionately known in our house).



For example, do you remember my Lark quilt top, which I made one afternoon back in.... January? No, I don't expect you do.  I know it's very simple but I really wanted to show off Amy Butler's fabrics, most of which are large scale.

While I was in England I picked up some batting and my mum bought me this Amy Butler fabric for the backing as part of my birthday present. So guess what I'll be doing tomorrow?  Yes - I'll be on all fours basting.

So my question for you this fine evening is: what do you think about the quilting?  I would like to do some straight line quilting and any suggestions would be very gratefully received.

So in honour of resuscitating this UFO and Lee's return from her summer break,  I'm linking up for the first time in a very long time with WIP Wednesday here. Head over and see what more productive people are up to.

The Winner of 2 Good Fortunes...

....I just remembered to pick a winner for my 1st blogaversary giveaway and it`s No. 4 Pat ...congratulations Pat!

Pat chose the Lark selvedge pouch.

 Pat said, "LARK! Happy blogaversary! I love reading your blog! My mom was an avid quilter for nearly 30 years. And she did get me to make a few quilts over those years. But it wasn't until I found out about modern quilts and inherited her sewing machines and stash that I actually thought about quilting. That was about a year and a half ago. I think my mom would be thrilled with my progress."


I shall email you now Pat for your details!  Thanks to everyone who participated in the giveaway.

A Touch of Glamor

I had been meaning to swoon but was daunted by the amount of pieces for each block and from the flikr discussion thread it was apparent some people had struggled with it.  I had been meaning to make a practice pouch for the Mouthy Stitches swap but that was a project for when a certain small person was at pre-school. Concentration was needed. Since the holidays, my creative mojo had taken a hike.  I needed a quick fix project. A touch of glamor.

Lark in Glamor Colourway by Amy Butler

And so this morning the Betty Crocker Brownie Mix, the vodka shot of quilt tops was born.

I wanted a block where the design wasn`t lost. Each block is 9 inches square. The sashing is Kona white in snow.  To add a scrappy border or to not add a scrappy border.  That is the question.

Mail Round Here...

...is like the No.33 bus. You wait days for a parcel and then 4 come along at the same time.

First up was this wonderful package from Ruth over at twohiphippos.  She mentioned the other day that she had won a hamper (yes a hamper) of porridge.  Being a foody and a big mouth, I happened to comment that we were big porridge fans in our house and she sent me this little bundle of loveliness.

Not only did Ruth send me gingerbread (squeel) porridge but 3 of her beautiful handmade linen and felt egg cozies, which have the most gorgeous vintage mother of pearl buttons on.  So that`s one each (the middle one has little buttons on so I know who`ll like that one) and we won`t have to fight over them! Thank you so so much Ruth!

Then there was this little FQ bundle of gorgeousness - Lark in the Glamour colorway, which I ordered from Julie at The Intrepid Thread.

...and all the way from Australia, my first block in the 4x5 Modern Quilt Bee!

It was made by fellow Hive 1 member Wendy in my colours purple, orange and grey  - thanks Wendy!  I just love that little dog.

My mum came to my rescue again and also sent me a package of much needed thread (thank you mum!)and a new winter coat that I had ordered.  This time next week, I`m off to Paris for a couple of days - I have a special package to hand deliver to my friend Deborah.  December in Paris is pretty cold so you`ll have to wait until I`m back and I`ll show you a picture of me shivering in said new coat in front of some touristy site.

Just for a bit of fun,  the first person to correctly guess one of my four brothers` names (you can have 2 guesses each) will receive a small something from Paris. I`ll let you know who wins before I leave next Friday!

Thank you for all your lovely comments yesterday - normal cheery service has resumed!

Lastly, Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends around the world - I hope you have a wonderful day with your loved ones.

Fingerless Thursday

Well almost.  With a Kona solids drought chez nous, I decided to cut out my Drunkard`s Path blocks for the QAL being hosted by Kate and Kristie. It`s going to be one crazy mix up of Central Park with no solids.  That`ll be because I basically don`t have any until the big silver bird brings some over the pond.  So until that happens, I can only make blocks using patterned fabric.

So today I printed off the template.  Call me old fashioned you gals with your Go! Babies but I used my hands, picked up a rotary cutter and cut some curves.  All fingers on my left hand are still intact and it took less than 20 minutes.  Phew.

So I had a little play this evening and got myself completely befuddled by the amount of options available as to how to lay these pieces out. I`m not sure why I`m worrying as it is going to be a big crazy mix up of oranges, yellows, greens and purples.  And you thought I was going in the direction of muted. Shame on you.

What else?  With fingers intact it meant I was still able to tap away on the computer and use a credit card.  So I bought Lark in the Glamor colorway and to say I`m excited is a slight understatement.  I love Amy Butler and all that she comes up with and this collection is so beautiful.  Here are 3 of my favourites.

and I forgot to mention that the other day I also ordered the Swoon pattern so as soon as my Kona white arrives, I`ll be whipping up a block or two.  I wonder what I`ll use.

November promises to be another busy sewing month.  I have my modern Christmas tablerunner to start working on.  I`m shamefully behind everyone else but while I wait for fabric supplies for the back and binding,  I am going to offer my secret partner an alternative design involving stars.  I saw the most beautiful Christmas star block today and am very excited as it could look beautiful.  I`m quite `starry eyed` about it. More on that tomorrow.

I think I`ve kept you long enough.  I`ll just quickly mention that I`ve made it to the gym 3 times this week and that means my lovely fitness buddy won`t be making the 8000 km trip over here to give me a pep talk.  I had the old weights and measures taken yesterday and they did not make pretty reading.  Hoping next month may be better!

Thank you for all the lovely comments about my FMQ. Keep fit and happy - it`s nearly the weekend!